Wild Garlic Pesto, Chicken & Orzo Bake
A gorgeous one pot hero dish that everyone will love made with Cornish Wild Garlic Pesto and free range Cornish Chicken.
The recipe below serves 4-6 depending on how many chicken thighs each person can eat.
Takes 45 minutes to prepare
To make this recipe you will need:
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in.
- 1/2 jar wild garlic pesto
- 1.5 mugs orzo
- 2.5 mugs chicken stock
- 1 leek, diced
- 120g mature cheddar cheese
- 200g stale bread turned to breadcrumbs OR shop bought natural breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- A little butter
- Rind or parmesan If you have it
And here’s how to do it…
- Set the oven to 200⁰
- Melt the butter in a large skillet.
- Brown the chicken thighs skin side down in it, for around 5 minutes.
- Once golden, set them aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, now add the leek and soften for 5 minutes.
- Add the orzo and toast slightly in the leeks and butter.
- Add all of the stock and one tablespoon of the Wild Garlic Pesto.
- Bring to a simmer. It may seem very liquidy, but the orzo will absorb all of that soon.
- Add parmesan rind if you have one, and salt and pepper.
- Put the chicken on the top of the orzo and stock, skin side up in a circle.
- Put the whole dish into the oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, top each chicken thigh with a small spoonful of the pesto, about 1tsp. And a slice of thin cheddar.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs across the top of each piece of cheese and put it all back in the oven.
- A further 15 minutes, and you should have golden breadcrumbs, perfectly cooked chicken, and melty cheese with gorgeous silky orzo beneath.
Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and enjoy!
